Spinal disk implant and implantation kit

Abstract

A spinal disk implant comprises a solid body having four faces arranged to define a right-rectangular solid body and two faces that define the ends of the solid body. The faces that define the right-rectangular body include two opposed side faces and two opposed transverse faces. The transverse faces have a central region with three-dimensional features thereon and an anterior platform region lying along an anterior margin of the transverse faces. The faces defining the ends of the solid body include a convexly curved anterior face and a posterior face. The solid body is made of a biocompatible synthetic material. A kit that may be used by a surgeon includes an implant and an implant delivery tool dimensioned to releasably hold the implant. The delivery tool preferably has a pair of flexible opposed arms extending from a base, separated so that the implant can fit between the arms, and may have a breakable release band extending around the implant to hold it in place until a weak link in the release band is intentionally broken during implantation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A spinal disk implant, comprising a solid body having a convexly curved anterior face, the anterior face having a curvature of about that of the anterior surface of a human vertebra and having an anterior face lateral margin and a curved anterior face transverse margin;   a posterior face spaced apart from the anterior face and having a posterior face lateral margin and a posterior face transverse margin;   a pair of generally parallel, spaced apart, opposed side faces extending between the lateral margins of the anterior face and the posterior face; and   a pair of spaced apart, opposed transverse faces extending between the transverse margins of the anterior face and the posterior face, each transverse face having an anterior platform and at least one of the transverse faces having an engagement region located posterior of the anterior platform, the engagement region having three-dimensional features thereon raised above the transverse face, a width of the anterior platform being about that of a thickness of anterior cortical bone of a human vertebra, the spinal disk implant being made of a biocompatible synthetic material.   
     
     
       2. The implant of claim 1, wherein the posterior face is convexly curved. 
     
     
       3. The implant of claim 1, wherein the posterior face is flat. 
     
     
       4. The implant of claim 1, wherein the transverse faces are generally parallel. 
     
     
       5. The implant of claim 1, wherein the transverse faces are convexly bowed. 
     
     
       6. The implant of claim 1, wherein the posterior face is convexly curved symmetrically with respect to the anterior face. 
     
     
       7. The implant of claim 6, wherein the solid body is symmetric about a plane lying halfway between the anterior face and the posterior face. 
     
     
       8. The implant of claim 1, wherein both transverse faces have three-dimensional features thereon. 
     
     
       9. The implant of claim 8, wherein the solid body is symmetric about a plane lying halfway between the transverse faces. 
     
     
       10. The implant of claim 9, wherein the transverse faces are parallel to each other. 
     
     
       11. The implant of claim 9, wherein the transverse faces are tapered toward each other. 
     
     
       12. The implant of claim 1, wherein the solid body is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic, a metal, a polymer, and a composite material. 
     
     
       13. The implant of claim 1, wherein the solid body is formed of a ceramic. 
     
     
       14. The implant of claim 1, wherein the solid body is formed of caclium phosphate. 
     
     
       15. The implant of claim 1, wherein the solid body is formed of hydroxylapatite. 
     
     
       16. The implant of claim 1, wherein the solid body is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium and a titanium alloy. 
     
     
       17. The implant of claim 1, wherein the solid body is formed of a material that bonds to natural bone. 
     
     
       18. The implant of claim 1, wherein the solid body is formed at least in part of a material that is at least in part microporous. 
     
     
       19. The implant of claim 18, wherein the body has a central dense portion and a microporous coating. 
     
     
       20. A spinal disk implant, comprising a solid body having: four faces arranged to define a right-rectangular body, including two opposed side faces and two opposed transverse faces, at least one of the transverse faces having a central region with three-dimensional features thereon raised above the transverse face and an anterior platform region lying along an anterior margin of the transverse face;   a convexly curved anterior face defining one end of the right-rectangular body; and   a posterior face defining the other end of the right-rectangular body, the solid body being made of a material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic, a metal, a polymer, and a composite material.   
     
     
       21. The implant of claim 20, further including a posterior platform region lying along a posterior margin of the transverse face. 
     
     
       22. The implant of claim 20, wherein the posterior face is convexly curved. 
     
     
       23. The implant of claim 20, wherein the solid body is symmetric about a plane lying halfway between the anterior face and the posterior face. 
     
     
       24. The implant of claim 20, wherein both transverse faces have three-dimensional features, anterior platforms, and posterior platforms thereon. 
     
     
       25. The implant of claim 20, wherein the solid body is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of a ceramic, a metal, a polymer, and a composite material. 
     
     
       26. The implant of claim 20, wherein the solid body is formed of a ceramic. 
     
     
       27. The implant of claim 20, wherein the solid body is formed of calcium phosphate. 
     
     
       28. The implant of claim 20, wherein the solid body is formed of hydroxylapatite. 
     
     
       29. The implant of claim 20. wherein the solid body formed of a material selected from the group consisting of titanium and a titanium alloy. 
     
     
       30. The implant of claim 20, wherein the solid body is formed of a material that bonds to natural bone. 
     
     
       31. The implant of claim 20, wherein the solid body is formed at least in part of a material that is at least in part microporous. 
     
     
       32. The implant of claim 31, wherein the body has a central dense portion and a microporous coating. 
     
     
       33. A spinal disk implant, comprising a solid body having a convexly curved anterior face, the anterior face having a curvature of about that of the anterior surface of a human vertebra and having an anterior face lateral margin and a curved anterior face transverse margin;   a posterior face spaced apart from the anterior face and having a posterior face lateral margin and a posterior face transverse margin;   a pair of generally parallel, spaced apart, opposed side faces extending between the lateral margins of the anterior face and the posterior face; and   pair of spaced a part, opposed transverse faces extending between the transverse margins of the anterior face and the posterior face, each transverse face having an anterior platform and at least one of the transverses faces having an engagement region located posterior of the anterior platform, the engagement region having three-dimensional features thereon raised above the transverse face, a width of the anterior platform being about that of a thickness of anterior cortical bone of a human vertebra, the spinal disk implant being made of a nonmetallic material selected from the group consisting of calcium phosphate and hydroxylapatite.